Fastener inserting mechanisms



April 18, 1961 F. c. cHolcE FASTENER INSERTING MECHANIsMs 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed NOV. 13, 1959 Frank C Choice By /zzs Attorney @mu/,a WW

April 18, 1961 F. c. CHOICE FASTENER INSERTING MECHANIsMs 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 13, 1959 April 18, 1961 F. c. CHOICE FASTENER INSERTING MECHANISMS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed NOV. 13, 1959 United States Patent FASTENER NSERTING NIECHANISMS Frank Coleman Choice, Leicester, England, assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Boston, Mass., a corporation of New Jersey Filed Nov. 13, 1959, Ser. No. 852,805

13 Claims. (Cl. 1-5) This invention relates to fastener inserting mechanism and particularly to improved means for laying the lasting margin of the upper inwardly over the shoe bottom and for fastening it at the opposite sides of the shoe. Thus, the invention is herein illustrated as embodied in an overlaying and fastening inserting device intended for use in a pulling over machine of the type illustrated, for example, in United States Letters Patent No. 2,305,535, granted on December 15, 1942, on an application filed in the name of Harold Lane. It will be understood, of course, that in their broader aspects features of the invention are not necessarily limited to use in overlaying and fastener inserting devices of this particular type or in the exact mechanical construction shown.

As will be readily understood by persons skilled in the art, and as is explained in the mentioned patent, conventional pulling over machines of the aforementioned type are provided with a shoe support for engaging the bottom of a shoe to support it with its bottom facing generally downward and at an angle away from the operator while the upper is drawn over the last by means of grippers operating at the toe end of the shoe and at the opposite sdes thereof adjacent to the toe end. Following a dwell in the operating cycle of the machine, during which appropriate shifting of the upper relatively to the last on which it is mounted may be effected by the operator, the overlaying and fastening inserting devices at the toe end and at the opposite sides ofthe shoe are operated to lay the lasting margin of the tensioned upper inwardly over the bottom of the shoe and to insert fasteners, such as tacks, to secure the upper to the bottom of the shoe. Such overlaying and fastener inserting means include tack blocks provided with tack passages into which tacks are introduced by means of a blast of air, while the blocks are in retracted positions away from the shoe, and tack drivers for driving the tacks along these passages, out through the tack blocks and into the upper on the bottom of the shoe after the tack blocks have been moved to tack driving position opposite the bottom of the shoe. For retaining the tacks in the tack passages of the tack blocks until operation of the tack drivers, and to guide the tacks as they are being driven, so-called tack fingers are provided, and these fingers, which are yieldingly held together, are adapted to be wedged apart by the tacks and the tack driver as thel tacks are being driven.

While arrangements of the foregoing type have long been used and operate in a generally satisfactory manner, it is possible for the point of a tack, as it is propelled by the blast of air into the tack passage of the tack block, to effect a slight separation of the tack fingers sufficient to permit the point of the tack to protrude a short distance beyond the tack block and also beyond the overlaying member, or wiper, usually associated therewith. Such a protruding tack point is very likely to become blunted and/or bent over as a result of engagement with the upper as the overlaying and fastener inserting device is moved to lay the lasting margin of the upper inwardly over the bottom of the shoe, thereby interfering with the proper insertion of the tack into the upper when the tack is subsequently driven.

In order to avoid the above difficulty, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved fastener inserting mechanism wherein means are provided for controlling the tack fingers of a tack block in such a way that protrusion of the point of the tack therethrough, as the tack is blown into the tack passage of the block, is prevented, while at the same time the tack fingers are adapted to be separated by the tack and the tack driver as the tack is being driven. With this object in View, and in accordance with a feature of the invention, in the herein illustrated fastener inserting mechanism means are provided for positively holding the tack fingers from separation at the time when a tack is delivered into the tack passage of the tack block, this means being further arranged to be rendered ineffective in response to movement of the tack driver to drive the tack, thereby to free the fingers for separation, and to be returned to holding position after the tack has been driven. Moreover, in order to insure a continued control of the tack by the tack fingers as the tack is being driven, and in accordance with another feature of the invention, additional means are provided for imposing a restraining action on the separating movements of the tack fingers, which means is adapted, as the driving of the tack proceeds, to reduce the restrainingaction thus imposed, thereby to allow the tack fingers to open far enough to permit passage of the head of the tack therethrough relatively freely. More particularly, and in the herein illustrated embodiment of the invention, the means for positively holding the tack controlling ends of pivotally mounted tack fingers from separation comprises a wedge member adapted to engage tail portions on the tack iingers and carried by a member mounted for movement by the tack driver, against the resistance of a return spring in a direction to withdraw the wedge member from engagement with the tail portions of the lingers as the driver is operated to drive the tack. For restraining the separating movements of the fingers, after the aforementioned'wedge member has thus been withdrawn, a springpressed plunger is provided having an operating end arranged to cooperate first with inclined surfaces on the tail portions of the tack fingers to restrain the separating movements thereof, and thereafter to cooperate with flat undersurfaces on the fingers to reduce the restraining action and allow the fingers to be separated with relative freedom thereby permitting passage of the head of a tack between the fingers. Upon retraction of the driver, after the tack has been driven, the fingers are closed by the wedge member as it is returned to holding position.

The above and other objects and features of the invention will appear in the following detailed description of the embodiment thereof which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and will be pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of a side tacker assembly for a pulling over machine embodying the features of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the tacker assembly shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view in front elevation of the side tacker assembly, with some parts in vertical section substantially on line III-,III in Fig. l and looking in the direction of the arrows; v

Fig. 4 is a view in section substantially on the line IV-IV in Fig. 2 and looking in the direction of the |arrows; and

Fig. 5 is a view in section substantially on the line V-V in Fig. 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

As will be understood, the herein illustrated side tacker assembly is intended to be used in a pulling over machine provided with a shoe support which, by engagement with a shoe bottom member (e.g. an insole) on the bottom of avlast within an upper, supports the shoe (with its bottom facing downwards and yaway from theoperator). VThe shoe is positioned lengthwfse by engagement of the toe end of the last with the front of a toe gripper (not shown) forming one of a plurality of gripping devices (the others. comprising a pair of side grippers, not shown, arrangedto act at opposite side portions of the toe of the shoe) which are arranged to grip marg`na1 portions of the upper and thereafter, upon heightwise movement of the grippers relatively to the last, to pull the upper about the forepartof the last in well known manner. As is usual in machines of this type, after the upper has thus been tensioned, the machine then pauses in its operative cycle` giving the operator an opportunity to adjust the tensioning action of the grippers and/ or the position of the upper on the last. On re-initiation of the operative cycle of the machine means for inserting tacks into the work comprising toe and side tacker assemblies (one of which is,v herein illustrated and will be described below) move inwardly from retracted postions away from the shoe totack-driving positions opposite to the shoe bottom (theY grippers releasing their hold upon the upper) andr secure marginal portions of the upper temporarily to the insole by means of tacks.

The illustrative machine has,Y for holding the shoe rmly in position during the operat'on of the tacking devices, side clamping members (not shown) and a heel rest (not shown) which Vare movable into positions in which they engage and firmly support the shoe by mechanisms which are well known in this type of machine.

Each side tacker assembly is arranged to drive three tacks and comprises two tacker units, one arranged to drive two tacks, and the other arranged todrive one, tack. Of these units the one arranged to drive two tacks (herein referred to as a double tacker unit) is positioned nearer the toe end of the shoe,A i.e., it lies rearward (inthe machine) of the tacker unit arranged to drive the single tack (herein referred to as a single tackerl unit). The single tacker unit comprises a forward side plate 50, (Figs. 2 and 3) and a rearward side plate 52 between which is clamped a tack-receiving member comprising a; tack block 54 having a single tack passage 55 therein and a spacing block 56 (Fig. 2). Similarly the double tackerunit compr'ses a forward side plate 58 and a rearward side plate 60 between which is clamped a tack-receiving member comprising a tack block 62 (having two tack passages 55 therein) and a spacing block 64.Y A spacingv bushing 66` (Fig. 3) serves to space lower portions of the side plates 50 and 52 of the single tacker unit. A similar spacng bushing 70 received on a bolt 72 (Fig. 4) serves to space apart the lower end portions of theV side plates 58 and 60 of the double tacker unit.

For supporting the tacker units each side tacker assembly comprises a front supporting member 74 and a rear supporting member 76.l These supporting members are spaced apart by means of a bridge member 78 to which they are secured by bolts'80 and by a spacing bushing 82 (Fig. 4) surrounding a bolt 84 which also serves to clamp the supporting members together. The spacingbushing 82 and bolt 84 extend through slots- 86 formed' `in the side plates 50, 52, 58 and 60 of the tacker units to permit movement of the tacker units relatively to the supporting members as hereinafter referred to.

TheV supporting members 74 and 76-are secured to upper end portions of side tacker arms 88 which are pivotally connected, in well known manner, in the frame of the machine'so as to be capable of swinging movementsY to carry the tack blocks from retracted positions spacedY away from the opposite sides of the shoe to tack-driving positions in which they extend inwardly beneath the edge of the shoe bottom and are located, opposite thel bottom amazes. e r. f e

' ent distances from theaxis ofthe pin.

of the shoe for their tack-driving operation. The inward and outward swinging movements of the tacker arms are controlled by a so-called expander bracket assembly which is generally similar to that dfsclosed in PatentNo. 2,305,535, mentioned above, with particular reference to Figs. 1, 7 and 8 of the drawings thereof.

Slidably mounted in each of the side tacker arms 88 is a driverebar 90 an upper end portion of which is provided with a rib 92 (F gs. 3 and 4) for engagement in a groove 94 of aV driver' slide 9,6 which carries two tack drivers 98 Iassociated with the tack passages of the double tack block 62. The slide 96 has tongues 100 Slidably received in groovesvv102 in the sideV plates 58 and 60 to guide the driver slides in their tack-driving movements, i.e., toward vand away from the shoe bottom. The single tacker unit has a single tack driver 104 mounted in a driver slide 106 which is guided for its tack-driving movements by tongues 108 o n the driver slide engaging in grooves 110 inthe side plates 5,0 and 52.

Alower end portion of the driver slide 10,6 has a groove 11,2l whichreceives arib 114 of a headed portion 11,6 of a plunger 118 received in a bore 1,20 extending end,` wiseof; the driver bar 90. A relatively strong compression spring 122 urges the plunger 118 upwardly, relatively to the driver bar, to a limit determined by engagement of part of the headed portion 116 with a stop member 124 secured to the driver bar 90. The purpose of the plunger 118 will be explained hereinafter.

Thedriver bars 90 are'operated by well known means including spring-.controlled leversV corresponding to the levers 156 referred to in the mentioned patent.

The two tacker units of each tacker assembly are slidablyI mounted, for movements towards and'away from the-side portions ofthe shoe-in the vicinity of which theyI operate,V b etween the front and rear supporting mein,-= bers-74 and 76.Y For this purpose the supporting member 761is provided with a rib extending into a guideway 132 formed in the rearward side plate 60V of the double tacker unit. A similar guideway 134 in the forward side plate 50 of the single tacker unit receives a rib-136` Vformed on a guidev member having a depending stemV portion 13 8 which is` received in a guideway 140k formed Yin an inner wall of the front supporting mem ber 74. vThe rib 136 extends into a groove 142 formed in thev innerwall of the-front supporting member 74, the groove being wider than the rib as is shown inY Pig. 5. The guide member 136, 138 may therefore be moved slightly inY a direction extending lengthwise of the stem portion 138, i.e., substantially heightwise of a shoe being operated upon. The single tacker unit may thus be raised slightly relatively to theY double ltacker unit for ak purposewhich will be explained hereinafter. For controllingV the heightwise movement of the single tacker unit relatively to the supporting member 74 and hence to the double tacker unit, the following arrangement is provided.

The stem portion 138 of the guide member 136, 13S is provided with a transversely extending pin'144 which extends into a plunger 146` which is received in a bore 147 extending parallel to the stem portion 13S in the front supporting member 74. The plunger is urged upwards in the'bore. by ymeans of a compression spring 148 received between the lower end of the plunger and a retaine ing screwlS() in vthe bore in the supporting member.

. Upward movement of the guide member 136, 138 under the action of the spring 148y is limited by means of a. stop member 152 comprising a headed pin rotatably mounted in a transversely extending bore in the front supporting member 74, a forward end portion of the pin having .xedly secured thereto anarm 154. The headed portion of the pin is provided with three-flats 156 (Fig. 5) spacedaround oner quarter of its periphery at diler- K The eaded portion' of the. pin overlicsfan upper edge face of the rib 136V andfrotation of the pin by means of the arm 154 brings` one or other of the flats 156 on the headed portion into engagement with that edge face thus adjustably limiting the upward movement of the guide member 136, 138. The arm 154 is retained in the desired positions of adjustment by means of a spring plunger 158 in the arm engaging one or other of three holes 1 60 in the front supporting member 74.

Secured upon a pin 170 which extends upwardly through a bore in the bridge member 78 is a compensating lever 172 (Fig. 2). The pin 170 is maintained in positionV by means of a collar 176 (Fig. l) secured to the pin beneath the bridge member. The compensating lever 172 has two oppositely extending plungers 178 (Fig. 2) received in a common bore 180 therein. A compression spring 182 received between the plungers urges them outwardly so that ball-ended outer end portions 179 of the plungers are received within cup-shaped recesses 183 in the side plates 50 and 60 respectively of the two tacker units of each side tacker assembly. These units are therefore normally coupled for movements together, in opposite directions but to equal eX- tents (in directions extending towards or away from the edge portion of the shoe in the region of operation of the tacker units) relatively to their supporting members as the latter is swung from its position in which the tacker units are spaced outwardly away from said edge portion of the shoe to a tacking position in which the tacker units are located opposite to the marginal portion of the shoe bottom in said region. The positions taken up by the tacker units of the side tacker assemblies as the latter Aare swung inwardly to tacking position are determined Vby engagement of upstanding portions 184 of stop members 186 (adjustably secured to the tacker units) with gaging members which are associated with the side clamping members of the machine, the action of these gaging Vmembers being generally similar to the gage members `20, 20 described in United States Letters Patent No. 2,236,539, granted April 1, 1941, on an application led in the name of Harold Lane. ;are secured in position by bolts 188 extending, through :slots 190 in the stop members and bores extending heightwise through wipers 192 and 194 shortly to be re- The stop members 186 ferred to, into threaded bores in the spacing blocks 56 and 64 respectively. As will be understood from a reference to the last-mentioned patent, the side clamping members are moved into their shoe engaging positions at opposite sides of the shoe before the tacker assemblies are moved to tacking positions and the gaging members serve as means arranged automatically to position the tacker units relatively to each other (in said direction extending towards and away from the adjacent edge p0rtion of the shoe) to cause them to take up tacking positions, determined by the outline of the shoe bottom in the vicinity of said edge portion, in which they drive tacks at substantially equal distances from the edge of the shoe bottom, the present arrangement of interconnections between the single and double tacker units being such as to provide for more accurate positioning of the tacks, to suit toe portions of shoes of different outlines, than is the case with the arrangement described in the last-mentioned patent in which the tacker assembly as a whole is free to swivel about an axis more or less perpendicular to the general plane of the forepart of the last bottom.

After the tacks have been driven and the tacker assemblies are again swung outwardly to their initial positions, the tacker units are again centralized with respect to their supporting members by engagement of arelatively stationary centralizing pin 200 by one or other of two inclined surfaces 202, 204 leading to ats 208 formed on outwardly extending tail portions 206 of the compensating lever 172 (Fig. 2). The diameter of the pin 200 is commensurate with the distance between the flats 208 so that it serves to hold the tacker units definitely in their centralized positions. The pin 200 has a frustof conical end portion 201 to facilitate entry of the pin between the surfaces 202 and 204. The pin 200 is carried by an arm 210 rigidly bolted to the machine frame. During the movements of the tacker units as just above described relatively to the supporting members 74 and 76, the driver slides 96 and 106 may slide transversely of the driver bar 90 by reason of the rib and groove connections between those slides and the driver bar and the headed portion 116 of the plunger 118.

When it is desired to replace a driver, the appropriate driver slide may be disconnected from the driver bar 90 (or the headed portion of the plunger 118) and removed from the machine in the following manner. The ball-ended outer portion of the appropriate one of the plungers 178 may be detached from its cup shaped recess in the side plate 50 or 60 by the inser-v tion of a rod or the like through a small hole 212 (Fig. l), formed in the side plate coaxially with the cup-shaped recess, to push back the plunger 178 against action of the spring 182. This enables the appropriate tacker unit to be moved sucient inwardly (relatively to the supporting member 74 or 76) to detach the driver slide from the driver bar or the headed portion of the plunger 118 as the case may be. The driver slide may then drop downwardly (into an operators hand) until the tongues 100 or 108 are free from the grooves 102 or 110. The drivers are retained in their driver slides by means of keys 214 received in transverse bores in the driver slides engaging in notches 216 in the drivers. The keys are retained in their bores by means of split pins 218 which are received in bores extending lengthwise of the driver slides, the split pins lalso extending through cross bores in the keys 214. Lower ends of the split pins are normally positioned over the upper end of the driver bars 90 or the headed portion 116 of the plunger 11S so that they cannot fall out during the operation of the machine.

Prior to their driving movements, the drivers occupy withdrawn positions (as shown in Fig. 4) relatively to the tack passages 55 in the tack blocks 54 and 62 and Y means is provided for delivering tacks to these tack passages while the drivers occupy their withdrawn position. The tack-delivering means includes tack conductors 220 which are pivotally mounted on the bushing 66 between the side plates 50 and 52 in the case of a single tacker unit or on the bushing 70 between the side plates 58 and 60 in the case of a double tacker unit (Fig. 4). The tack conductors are each provided with tack passages 224 (two in the case of the double tacker unit and one in the case of the single tacker unit), -these tack passages being enlarged at lower end portions to receive rigid end portions 226 of otherwise flexible tack-conducting tubes by which tacks are delivered pneumatically from suitable tack assorting and separating mechanism, not shown, but which may be similar to that described in United States Letters Patent No. 2,304,572, granted December 8, 1942, onan application filed in the name of Frank B. Keall. The end portions 226 of the tack-conducting tubes are retained in the tack conductors 220 by means of latches 228 pivotally mounted on the tack conductors and engaging lugs 230 on the end portions 226 of the tubes. Tension springs 232, connected between hooks in the spacing blocks 56 or 64 and tail portions of the latches 228, serve to retain the latches in latching engagement with the lugs 230 and -also serve to swing the tack conductors 220 about the bushings 66 or 70 into positions (determined by engagement of portions of the tack conductors with downwardly extending portions 234 of the associated tack blocks 54 or 62) in which the tack pasages 224 are positioned immediately below the tack passages 55 in the tack blocks so as to communicate therewith for the delivering of tacks thereinto.

Associated with exit end portions of the tack passages 55 are tack-controlling fingers 240, there being 7 one pair for `each passage. The tacks are'driven, by thev tack'drivers which are movable along the tack passages 55, between the fingers 240 on their way in to the work. The illustrative machine is provided with means for so controlling the lingers that. they are normally held firmly together but may be openedv to allow the heads of the tacks to pass between them, the ngercontrolling means positively holding the fingers against opening while the drivers occupy their withdrawn positionsl at the time the tacks are delivered to the tack passages in the tack blocks. An arrangement is provided for rendering the last-mentioned means inoperative during the driving of the tacks, to allow the fingers to open to permit the passage of the tacks therebetween, and for positively closing the fingers again after the tacks` have been driven. The fingers serve to guide and control the tacks as they are driven.

The tack-controlling fingers 249 are received within recesses 242 formed in undersides of the wipers 192, 19'4 and, in order to provide for maximum control of the tacks during driving, the portions of the wipers 192, 194 remaining above the tack fingers are relatively thin (see Fig. 4) and holes 244 are provided in these portions of the wipers (in alinement with the tack passages in the tack blocks) through which holes the tacks are driven. e The tack-controlling fingers are mounted for swinging movements so that operative tack-controlling end portions of the fingers may move apart to allow the passage of tacks therepast. For this purpose each linger is provided with a substantially semi-cylindrical bearing surface which is arranged to pivot around a bearing surface provided'on a pivotmem'ber 248 or a pin 250 supported in the associated wiper 192 or 194 (Fig. 2). The operative tack-controlling end portions of each pair of the fingers 240 are provided with appropriately shaped recesses 252 which, when the fingers are closed, provide a tack-receiving and controlling pocket, roughly of pyramidal form. The bearing surfaces just above referred to are so disposed that the opening and closing swinging movements of the fingers take place effectively about axes extending at least substantially heightwise of a shoe supported in the machine. At the time the tacks are delivered to the tack passages in the tack blocks the ngers 240 are held in their closed positions by means of finger-closing members provided by wedge members 256, one for each pair of fingers, which are secured to upper end portions of lugs 258 formed on the tack conductors 220 and are received between tail portions 260 of the fingers 240. The fingers are thus positively held at this time with their tack pockets centrally disposed in alinement with the associated tack passages in the tack blocks. It will be appreciated that, with tack delivery means as disclosed in the last-mentioned patent, the timing of the air blast causing delivery of the tack is such that the tack arrives in tacking position in the tack block before the tack block is moved to tacking position beneath the shoe bottom. Since the fingers are held positively closed as above referred to during the movement of the tack block to tack-driving position (and indeed until the tack is about to be driven) the possibility of the point of the tack protruding between the fingers during movement of the tack block beneath the shoe (and the consequent possibility of bending over or blunting of the point by engage ment with the work) is minimized.

As the drivers 98, 98 and 104 are impelled upwards to drive the tacks, end portonsof the drivers engage cam faces 261 (Fig. 4) on the tack conductors 220 and cam the latter out of the way of the drivers as the latter enter the tack passages in the tack blocks to drive the tacks. The tack conductors are thus swung about their pivots against the action of the springs 232, to remove the wedge members 256 from between the tail portions 260 of the ngers 240 so that the finger-closing means is rendered inoperative during the driving of' the tacks, toV allow the lingers to open to permit the passage of the tacks there?, between as they are driven into the work.

The arrangement just above described provides means which acts positively to restrain the fingers against opening until a tack is about to be driven, and the illustrative machine is further provided with additional means for restraining each of the fingers against opening unduly (when the wedge members 256 are withdrawn from between the tail portions 260) as the points of the tacks are being driven between them (so as to support the points firmly on their way into the work), the lastmentioned means including an arrangement which acts, as the driving of the tacks between the fingers proceeds, to reduce the restraining action of the restraining means so as'to allow the fingers to open far enough to permit passage of the tack heads between them.- The arrangement just above referred to and about to be described in detail comprises a restraining member-which is yieldably urged into engagement with tail portions 260 of each pair of fingers to resist opening of the fingers. The restrainingmember comprises a small plunger 264i which is positioned between the tail portion 269 of each pair of. fingers 240, in a bore extending heightwise of the shoe (Fig. 4). Each plunger is spring-urged upwardly by a relatively light spring- 266 and hasfa frusto-conical shaped head 26S adapted to be seated with its conical part received between inclined faces 2.7i) formed on the under sides of the inner portions of tail portions 260 of the fingers 240, the tail portions being remote from the operative end portions of the fingers. In order for the ngers to open it will be understood that, during an initial portion of the opening movement'of the fingers, the inclined faces 270 must ride over the conical surfaces of the head portions 268 of the plungers 264, depressing the latter until, at a later stage in the opening of the fingers, the fiat under faces of the tail portions 260, in the vicinity of the inclined faces 270, ride over flat end `faces of the plungers 264 as the fingers are opened sufficiently to allow the passage of the heads of the tacks. With this arrangement the spring-pressed plungers 264 tend to preventV the tack-controlling fingers 240 from opening too soon, thus ensuring that they continue to exercise their tackcontrolling function as the shank portions of the tacks pass upwards out of the tack pockets and between the fingers which continue to exercise a restraining action on the head portions of the tacks.

It will be understood that the gradually increasing width of the shanks progressively opens the fingers until, by the time the heads are ready to leave the tack pockets, the beveled faces 270 on the tail portions 260 of the fingers will have ridden off'the conical portions of the heads 268 of the plungers 264 and thetail portions will be resting on the fiat upper surfaces of the plungers. Thus, at this later stage in the driving of the tacks, the restraining action of the plungers is reduced since, as the fingers continue to open to allow the heads of the tacks to pass, the springs 266 behind the plungers are not further compressed so that the fingers now open relatively freely to permit the passage of the tack heads between them, the only resistance against such further opening of the fingers being frictional resistance, chiefly between the tail portions 260 of the fingers and the iiat surfaces on the heads 268 of the plungers 264. This reduction in resistance to opening of the fingers 240 as compared with that effective during the passage of the shank portions of the tacks is likely to keep the wear on the tack lingers to a minimum consistent with adequate control of the tacks as they are driven into the work.

After the tacks have been driven and the drivers have been withdrawn in the usual manner from the tack passages in the tack blocks, the springs 232 will swing the tack conductors 220 back to their initial positions ready to deliver further tacks to the tack passages in the tackl blocks. As the tack conductors so swing, the wedge 9 members 256, acting upon the tail portions 260 of the tack-controlling fingers 240, cause those fingers positively to close once again.

It will be understood that, as the tacker assemblies are swung inwardly into racking positions beneath the shoe bottom the wipers 192 and 194 serve to wipe marginal portions of the upper inwardly beneath the shoe bottom as those marginal portions are released by the jaws of side grippers of the machine in the ,usual way. To ensure that a tight wipe is obtained despite the fact that some shoe bottoms in the vicinity of operation of the single tacker units may have a slight heightwise curvature, the single tacker unit (and hence its wiper 194) may be adjusted (by means of the arm 154 as hereinbefore referred to) heightwise relatively to the double tacker unit (and its wiper 192). The three positions of the arm 154, as defined by the three holes 160, correspond to positions in which the wiper 194 (i) lies level with the wiper 192, (ii) is 1/32" above it or (iii) is IAG" above it. When the single tacker unit is in its lowermost position the movement of the driver slide 106 will be arrested (by engagement with the underside of the tack block 54) earlier than it will when the tacker unit occupies either of its higher positions. It is for this reason that the driver slide 106 is connected with the yieldable plunger 118 carried by the head portion of the driver bar 90. Early arresting of the movement of the driver slide 106 does not affect, therefore, the movement of the driver slide 96 of the double tacker unit, since the spring 122 merely yields as the driver bar completes its movement to drive the driver slide 96 and the drivers carried thereby fully home.

The arrangement for adjusting the heightwise positions of the tacker units provides for relative adjustment between the pairs of tack-controlling fingers associated with the different units, heightwise of the shoe, so as to facilitate effective driving of the tacks into the bottoms of shoes having different heightwise curvatures, it being appreciated that, when the units are adjusted to give the desired tight wipe as above referred to, the tack-controlling fingers of the several tacker units will be each positioned as closely as possible to the adjacent portions of the shoe bottom so as to give maximum control of the tacks during driving.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. In a machine for shaping uppers over lasts, a fastener inserting mechanism comprising a tack block provided with a tack passage, a tack driver, a pair of tack fingers for retaining a tack in said passage and for guiding the tack as it is driven by said driver, said tack fingers being mounted for separation by the tack and tack driver as the tack is being driven, and means for positively holding the fingers against separation until the driver is operated to drive the tacks.

2. In a machine for shaping uppers over lasts, a fastener inserting mechanism comprising a tack block provided with a tack passage, a tack driver, a pair of tack fingers for retaining a tack in said passage and for guiding the tack as it is driven by said driver, said tack fingers each having a tack controlling end and a tail portion and being pivotally mounted for separation of their controlling ends by the tack and tack driver as the tack is being driven, and means adapted to engage the tail portions of said fingers for positively holding the fingers against separation until the driver is operated to drive the tacks.

3. In a machine for shaping uppers over lasts, a fastener inserting mechanism comprising a tack block provided with a tack passage, a tack driver, a pair of tack ngers for retaining a tack in said passage and for guiding the tack as it is driven by said driver, said tack fingers being mounted for separation by the tack and tack driver as the tack is being driven. and means for positively holding the fingers against separation until the driver is operatedto drive the tacks and for closing'the fingers when the tack driver is retracted after the tack has been driven.

4. In a machine for shaping uppers over lasts, a fastener inserting mechanism comprising a tack block provided with a tack passage, a tack driver, a pair of tack fingers for retaining a tack in said passage and for guiding the tackas it is driven by said driver, said tack fingers each having a tack controlling end and a tail portion and being pivotally mounted for separation of their controlling ends by the tack and tack driver as the tack is being driven, and a wedge member adapted to engage the tail portions of said fingers for positively holding the fingers against separation until the driver is operated to drive the tacks and for closing the fingers when the tack driver is retracted after the tack has been driven.

5. In a machine for shaping uppers over lasts, a fastener inserting mechanism comprising a tack block provided with a tack passage, a tack driver, a pair of tack fingers for retaining a tack in said passage and for guiding the tack as it is driven by said driver, said tack fingers being mounted for separation by the tack and tack driver as the tack is being driven, a member for engaging the tack fingers to hold them positively against separation,

yieldable means for urging said member into engagement with the fingers, and cam means associated with said member and adapted to be engaged by the driver for Withdrawing said member to permit the fingers to be separated by the tack and tack driver as the driver is operated to drive the tack.

6. In a machine for shaping uppers over lasts, a fastener inserting mechanism comprising a tack block provided with a tack passage, a tack driver, a pair of tack fingers for retaining a tack in said passage and for guiding the tack as it is driven by said driver, said tack fingers each having a tack controlling end and a tail portion and being pivotally mounted for separation of their controlling ends by the tack and tack driver as the tack is being driven, a wedge member for engaging the tail portions of the tack fingers to hold them positively against separation, yieldable means for urging said memberv into engagement with the fingers, and cam means associated with said member and adapted to be engaged by the driver for withdrawing said wedge member to permit the fingers to be separated by the tack and tack driver as the driver is operated to drive the tack.

7. In a machine for shaping uppers over lasts, a fastener inserting mechanism comprising a tack block provided with a tack passage, a tack driver, a pair of tack fingers for retaining a tack in said passage and for guiding the tack as it is driven by said driver, said tack fingers being mounted for separation by the tack and tack driver as the tack is being driven, and means for imposing a restraining action on the separation of the tack fingers, said lastnamed means being adapted to effect a reduction in the restraining action thus imposed as the driving of the tack proceeds thereby to allow relatively free separation of the fingers to permit passage of the head of the tack therebetween.

8. In a machine for shaping uppers over lasts, a fastener inserting mechanism comprising a tack block provided with a tack passage, a tack driver, a pair of tack fingers for retaining a tack-in said passage and for guiding the tack as it is driven by said driver, said tack fingers being pivotally mounted for separation by the tack and tack driver as the tack is being driven, and means including a spring-pressed plunger for imposing a restraining action on the separation of the tack fingers, said last-named means being adapted to elect a reduction in the restraining action thus imposed as the driving of the tack proceeds thereby to allow relatively free separation of the fingers to permit passage of the head of the tack therebetween.

9. In a machine for shaping uppers over lasts, a fastener inserting mechanism comprising a tack block provided with a tack passage, a tack driver, a pair of tack fingers for retaining a tack in said passage and for guid ingth'e tack as iti-isf driven bysaid driverg'lsad' tackiingers each having a tack controllingend and-"a tail porti'onandf being-pivotally mounted for separation-of-"their-controlling ends bythe tack andtack driver as thetackds` being driven, and means comprising a spring-pressed plunger'- andV cooperating inclined and Viiat surfaces on the 'tail tack proceeds, thereby to allow-relatively free-separation,of the iingers to` permit passage offthe head`l of the tack therebetween.

l0. In a machine for shaping uppers over lasts, a fastener inserting mechanism comprising a tack block-pro vided with a tack passage, a tack driver, aipairoftack ngers for retaininga tack in said passage and for1guiding the tack as it is driven by-saiddriver, said tack fingersy being mounted for separation by the tack-and tack driverV as the tack isV being driven, means for positively holding theiingers against separation until the driver is operatedL to drive the tack, andV additional means for-imposing a"- restraining action on the separation of. the tack fingers While the tack is being driven.

l1.. In a machine for shaping uppers over lasts, a fastener inserting mechanism comprising a tack block'pro-Y` vided with a tack passage, a tack driver, a pair of tackr iingers for retaining a tack in saidpassage and for guiding the tack as it is driven by said driver, said tack iingers each having a tack controlling end and a tail portion and being pivotallymounted forrrsepar'ation of their controlling ends by the tack and tack driver as the tackv is being driven, means adapted to engage the tail portions ofsad fingers for positively holdingV the fingers against separation until the driver is operated to drive the tacks, and additional means forimposing a restraining action on the separation of the tack fingers while the tack isbeing driven, said last-named meansY being adapted to effect areductionsin--thefrestraining action thus imposedas'lthe drivingof the :tacks proceeds, thereby to allow-relativelyfree separation of the fingers to permit passage of theA h'ead?y offthe tack therebetween.

12V; InV a machine Afor shaping uppers overv lasts, afastener'rinserting mechanism comprising a tackV block providedfwith a tack passage, a tack driver, apair of tack ingersfor retaining a tack in said passage and for guiding thetack as itis Vdriven by said driver, said tack fingers being .mounted-for separation by the tack and tack driver asthe-tack iszbeing driven, means for positively holding the/fingers against separation until the driver is operated to drive` the tacks, and additional: means including a spring-pressedplunger for imposing a restraining action on4 ing the tack as'it lis driven by said driver, said tack iingers' each having a tack vcontrolling endand a tail portion andv being pivotally mounted for separation of their controllinggends by the tackv and Vtack driver as the tack is beingA driven,;means adapted to engage the tail portions of said fingers for positively holding thevfingers against separation until the driver is operated to drive the tacks, and additional means comprising a spring-pressed plunger andcooperating inclined and at ksurfaces on the tail portions vof said fingers for imposing a restraining action on the;V separation of the tack fingers while the tackis being driven, said plunger and cooperating surfaces being adapted toV effect lareduction in the restraining action thus imposedias the driving of the tack proceeds, thereby tov allow relatively free separation of the fingers to permitpassage of the head of the tack therebetween.

No references cited. 

